Mega Man
by doctorwho29
Summary: A novelization of the first Mega Man game much like my Mega Man 7. Dedicated to a kind guest who inspired me to get back into this series.
1. The Birth of a Hero

**Hello Readers! I'm back at last and with a new story. Here is my first chapter in a novelization of the first Mega Man game. Oh it feels good to be writing again, why do I let so much time pass between stories/updates? Oh well, maybe someday I'll get it right. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as it unfolds. **

**Like I've said before, I sadly don't own Mega Man. If I did I'd treat it better than...certain companies who shall not be named *cough*Capcom*cough***

* * *

><p>"Rock…Rock…are you awake?"<p>

The words seemed distant and the hearer struggled to open his eyes. He did not know who he was, where he was, or who owned the distant voice. These were his first thoughts and yet they seemed familiar and easy to think. He shifted his head a bit and fluttered his eyes but could do no more.

"Oh dear, I think I know what the issue is. Let me make just a few adjustments…yes I think that should about do it…alright Rock, try opening your eyes now."

Rock, for the hearer now assumed that was his name, obeyed and gazed into the white bearded face of the man standing before him. He was a plump man of medium height wearing a lab coat and a gazing at Rock with concern and joy in his eyes.

"Hello"

The bearded man smiled at this word and responded "Hello Rock. It's so wonderful to meet you. My name is Dr. Thomas Light and I am your creator."

"Do you mean…my father?"

"I…I suppose I am…in a sense."

"What am I, Dr. Light?"

"It is interesting that you use that term instead of "who am I" because you have cut right to the heart of the issue. You, my boy, are a robot."

As he heard these words Rock could sense the truth of it within his own body. He didn't exactly feel anything but he was aware of certain attributes within himself. No heart beat within his chest, no air passed his lips, and yet he was thinking and feeling.

"May I see myself, Dr. Light?"

"Indeed you may. Please be patient for one moment while I release the clamps" Rock became aware that he was gently but firmly clamped to a vertical operating table. Dr. Light quickly released me and he dropped to the ground. He found that his legs supported him easily and with perfect balance. "There is a mirror over there."

Rock slowly crossed the room which he assumed must be a laboratory. The tables and shelves were cluttered with random tools, parts, and objects Rock didn't recognize. He approached the full length mirror standing in the corner and gazed upon a young boy with blue eyes and black hair. He was naked which allowed him to confirm once and for all that he was indeed a robot; his joints were segmented and overall his anatomy was like a large doll. He leaned in close to examine his face and was faintly amused to see that his hair was real and yet he didn't have nostrils or toes.

"Wow…good work Doctor."

"Thank you very much, Rock. Well technically your name is DNL-001 but I like to call you Rock."

"I like it" Rock was still absorbed in the mirror running his hands through his hair and prodding himself in various places "I'm a robot but I seem so much like a person."

"I hope to make you even more humanlike over time, if you don't mind of course."

"That could be fun"

"Now you are functioning properly aren't you? You can't detect any faults?"

"I was just born…I mean activated, so how would I know? And yet, I do seem to know. It's like my brain is slowly waking up."

"That's excellent, my boy, really quite excellent. It means I'm just about ready to wake up your sister."

"My WHAT?" Rock spun around to look at Doctor Light but then noticed the work station he had come from. He saw that another station was set up next to his own with a dormant girl robot strapped to it. She was his "age" and her long hair was blonde. Rock was shocked to realize that she was also naked. He turned away quickly and said "Um, I suddenly wish I was wearing clothes."

"Embarrassment…" Dr. Light observed with glee "Your emotional capacities are astounding."

"Yes and I'm still unclothed and…and so is she."

"Oh yes, of course. Just go through that door and you'll find a selection of clothes for you. Pick out whatever you like while I wake up your sister."

"Okay, Dr. Light"

Rock followed his instructions and, after some deliberation, was soon dressing himself simply in blue shorts and a white T shirt. He laughed when he realized that all the clothes and other accessories for him and his sister were stuffed into Dr. Light's library. "He might be a genius but organization is clearly not one of his talents."

"Which is why it's a good thing I'm here" Rock turned to see Dr. Light beaming down at the girl robot who was now wearing a simple red dress. She had a wild gleam in her eyes and grabbed a nearby ribbon with such ferocity that Rock jumped a bit. She began to tie her hair into a ponytail and continued "I'm going to have this place ship shape in no time."

"She seems to have a lot of spirit but I'm sure she has a good heart" Dr. Light said with some bemusement "Rock, meet your twin sister Roll. Roll, meet your brother Rock."

Rock stepped forward to shake her hand but she pulled him into a tight hug. "Wow, that's…kind of nice" he hugged her back and smiled.

Suddenly the broke apart and glared playfully at Dr. Light. "Wait a minute…Rock and Roll?"

"Oh dear, perhaps I shouldn't have programmed quite so much initial knowledge. Yes it is indeed a musical reference. I thought it was funny."

"You know what?" Roll said

"So do we!" Rock announced as he and his sister tackled Dr. Light with hugs. He was knocked to the floor but quickly regained his composure.

"My goodness, what is this all about?"

"I don't know" Rock answered with a smile "I guess it's just so good to be alive…Father."

Tears of pure joy leaked out of Dr. Light's eyes; not at his ability to make such advanced machines but at being accepted by them so quickly. He was overjoyed to at last have a proper family.


	2. A Family Breakfast

**And chapter 2 is much quicker than I expected. I seem to have really been inspired. The story I'm creating here is based on several sources as well as my own imagination. I like where it's going and I hope you will as well, Faithful Readers.**

* * *

><p>The early morning tranquility of the small yet comfortable room was broken by the ring of an alarm clock. The robot in the pine wood bed shifted and covered his ears with his pillow. However, his powerful ears continued to pick up the annoying sound and his arm quickly shot out to silence the clock. Forgetting the strength of his mechanical arm, he was a little surprised to feel the clock disintegrate at his touch.<p>

"I've got to work on that" Rock muttered as he sat up and blinked. It had been several days since his activation and he was still a bit surprised that he and Roll slept. "Well, we've got to recharge somehow I suppose."

He hopped out of bed and threw back the curtains. His room looked down upon the spacious back lawns of Light Labs. Roll had already made her imprint on said lawns as they now looked halfway cared for. He turned and looked around his own bedroom. The bedspread and wallpaper were blue as were many of the decorations. He smiled as he looked in the mirror and saw his own blue pajamas. Rock simply seemed to have an affinity for the color blue.

Not long later he was approaching the breakfast table in blue jeans, a white T shirt, and a denim jacket. He didn't eat but he still liked to sit with the family for meals. Also he and Roll were learning how to cook for Dr. Light but this morning it was Roll's turn. Rock could hear his sister now in the kitchen humming merrily as bacon sizzled.

"Good morning Dr. Light."

"Good morning Rock. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did. Is it possible for a robot to sleep badly?"

"I…I don't know" Dr. Light chuckled "I seem to be discovering a host of new things because of you and your sister."

"Talking about me?" Roll approached the table and set a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of Dr. Light. In her other hand was a pot of coffee which she now poured into her father's near empty mug.

"This looks delicious, Roll. You certainly are a gifted cook."

"Unlike some" she looked at Rock as she said this and he looked indignant

"I'm getting better. And in my defense, Dr. Light said that kitchen rug probably needed to be burnt anyway."

Dr. Light chuckled as his new children bickered across the table. He knew there was no malice in their words and that they were coming to care for each other very much. The very fact that robots could care for others was still a fascinating mystery to him despite having built the ones doing it. He had expected them to be human like but in the short time he'd known them, they had both surprised him beyond words.

"Well at least I'm not the one who put a DVD in the toaster" Rock was now snapping.

Roll started to reply but Dr. Light held his hands up for calm "I think that's enough of that. Why don't we talk about something else?"

"Okay" Roll said as she gave Rock a look that clearly said 'I still win' "Why don't you tell us more about the meeting you're going to later today?"

"Yeah" Rock added enthusiastically "Maybe we could even go along and help. After all, you initially intended us to be servant robots."

"I wouldn't say servant and I'm much happier how you turned out instead. Anyway, this afternoon I will be meeting with the heads of several companies to discuss the development of a new class of worker robots."

"More advanced than the Sniper Joes and Mets?" Rock asked

Dr. Light sighed deeply at the mention of the military robots known as Sniper Joes; he never did like making weapons and was troubled that he was somewhat good at it. "Yes, robots with advanced Artificial Intelligence based off of the success of you two with specific roles in society. It's an idea that I have been tinkering with for some time, an idea that old friend and I once played with together, but now I think the time is right to actually go ahead with it."

"That's great!" Roll exclaimed "Just keep in mind that I'm the ultimate cleaning robot!"

"How could I not? This place hasn't looked so clean in years. You two really are quite remarkable. And before you speak Roll, Rock has been a godsend in the lab. I've never had a better assistant."

"Thanks" Rock smiled "So can we go with you? It's just that I've seen so little of the world so far."

"Well" Dr. Light hesitated as he glanced down at an article declaring Rock and Roll's existence controversial in the newspaper beside his breakfast plate "Actually, that might be good. Yes I'd be honored to have your company."

"You're thinking the world has made a remarkably quick judgment about us and actually meeting us could help put them to ease about human like robots" Roll said. When Dr. Light looks astonished she smiled and said "We do have computers for brains you know."

"You two…on minute you act like advanced machines and the next you're typical children."

"What's to say we're not the best of both?" Rock wanted to know

"I suppose you are"

Roll asked "Will your old friend be there? The one that originally helped think up this idea."

"No. Albert Wily was my dear friend in college and we developed many concepts together but we haven't seen each other in years."

"I've heard of him" she went on "People don't like his inventions, do they?"

"Albert has made some real mistakes in his life and released some rather controversial ideas. Somehow that has colored the viewpoint of the general public and now they seem to think everything he makes is poison. For example, his recent advances in nanotechnology could have many applications in medicine but people just see evil little robots invading their bodies. And that's just one area in which the science could be used."

"I can see that concern but they should try to see the good sides as well" Rock responded

"I agree but Albert did also have a few personality quirks that are less than endearing. I wonder how he's doing these days." His eyes took on a faraway look and the corners of his mouth dropped slightly.

Rock gazed at his father with some concern "You miss him, don't you Dr. Light?"

"My boy, there are a lot of people I miss. In years I may not be as old as I look but I certainly am in spirit."

"Enough sad talk" Roll said "I'm going to get started on cleaning all this up and Rock, you start getting Dr. Light ready. I know it's early but this is a big deal and we want to make the best impression."

The guys simply smiled at each other and inwardly admitted who the real master of the household was. They got up and went to follow her instructions.


	3. The Robot Masters

**And here we have chapter three, Faithful Readers. The next chapter will probably be uploaded soon because I don't expect it to be very long. However, I do think it will serve the story well. **

**A message to the kind "Guest" who is showing so much interest in this series. I have every intention of doing the side stories and not just the numbered games (and stories not directly adapted will at least get referenced) but I'm tempted to put the Stardroids after Mega Man and Bass. That way Duo will have already opened the world into space adventures and he might could even help. Then again your suggestion to place it directly after 7 has potential as well because, now that I think of it, there are space elements in Mega Man 3. I'm having to really ponder this and other story order details.****Anyone who has ideas or input is free to message me. True, ultimately the decisions are mine but I welcome ideas and getting to know my readers.**

**Sorry for the spiel, on with the story!**

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I agreed to this" Doctor Light muttered as he nervously shuffled his notes<p>

"You'll do great" Rock said, picking up a note card Dr. Light had dropped "It's your project so you should present it."

"And everyone voted for you to present it" Roll added

"I wasn't present for the vote"

"That is competently irrelevant in the world of business"

The Light family was standing in the Green Room of the City Robot Expo Hall. This magnificent building was only a few years old and yet had a rich history of robotic innovations being unveiled. The main hall was enormous with several side halls, exhibition rooms, and outdoor gardens. Today Dr. Light was going to unveil one of the greatest advances in robot history and he and his children were dressed in their finest suits in honor of the event. Dr. Light however was facing the part of the job he hated most: public speaking.

"Just take a deep breath and imagine the audience in their underwear" Rock advised "I've heard that helps although I have no idea why."

"This from the boy who's second request was clothing."

"Touché"

At this moment a stage manager rushed over and told Dr. Light it was time to get on stage. The kids went to take their seats in the front row and he nervously took his seat on stage with the others in charge of this event. Speeches were made, people were thanked, and egos were stroked and before long it was Dr. Light's turn to kick off the main event.

"Ahem…yes…thank you for that lovely applause. My name is Dr. Thomas Light and I am proud (and just a little nervous) to be here making this presentation. For many months now, I have been partnering with the ladies and gentlemen seated behind me to develop a new class of working robot. Many designs and concepts were considered including Bond Man, an idea I rather liked. In the end, we selected six models based off of my designs. My laboratories personally oversaw the development and my own hands worked on each of them. They have been tested and approved and now they are ready to meet you. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Robot Masters!"

He gestured grandly to the back of the hall and the people turned to see six robots of varying sizes and designs marching up the aisles. They waved and greeted the audience as they marched and soon reached the platform. They lined up behind Dr. Light and waited for the next part of the procedure.

"I will now be introducing them to you in order of production number starting with Cut Man" the red robot with scissors on his head struck what he thought was a cool pose. In reality he looked very dorky but Dr. Light ignored that "Cut Man is a deforestation robot designed to do as little collateral damage to the environment as possible. This hulking fellow next to him is Guts Man."

The large yellow, red, and black robot with a hardhat waved calmly as Dr. Light explained that he was meant for overseeing and assisting in construction projects. The parka wearing Ice Man was meant for work in extremely cold environments without any human limitations. The yellow and orange Bomb Man was an efficient and safe demolition robot while the flame haired Fire Man was perfect for safely burning waste and cutting down on landfill space. Rounding off the group was proud yet friendly looking Elec Man whose functions ranged from simply being a walking battery to power plant voltage control.

"And there you go" Dr. Light said as he returned to the podium "These six will soon be given test jobs around this very city and, if all goes well, they will branch out into the world at large. They may possibly even be the template for many more like them. I want to finish this presentation by addressing the name 'Robot Master.' Many have expressed concern over this term calling it controversial or even frightening. However, my intention was that they and others who come after them would be the masters of their specific craft. They would work, overcome any flaws in their programming, and then teach us how to live more efficient lives ourselves. So they are simply robots with mastery of a skill with the capability to help us master our own shortcomings. And now, I release the Robot Masters to mingle amongst you answering questions and giving structured demonstrations of their abilities. I too will be available for questions. Thank you very much for coming and please enjoy the rest of the day."

"I have a question now" all heads turned to a nondescript old man in shabby clothes, a ski cap concealing most of his hair, and reading glasses. He looked a bit like a drifter who had wandered in off the street.

"Oh? What is it, sir?" Dr. Light politely inquired

"The original idea and designs for such wonderful robots really came from you alone? I mean no disrespect" he added as the crowds grew restless "but I would like to make certain that you haven't forgotten to give credit where credit is due."

Dr. Light didn't answer right away; he turned and looked at the executives behind him who all looked disapproving while the Robot Masters looked simply confused. He turned back to the gentleman and replied "Actually, I believe I should credit one other person." A few executives shook their heads but Dr. Light carried on "The Robot Master concept goes back to the discussions I had with an old college friend named Dr. Wily…" At the mention of this name, there were a few but very noticeable "Boos" and sounds of surprise and disapproval "I realize that for those of you who even know that name, it may not have the best connotations due to media portrayal but I must be honest. Does that answer your question, sir?"

"Yes…I do believe I have my answer" the nameless old man wandered away as the crowds began to disperse.


	4. A Talk in the Garden

**Wow, that was quicker than I thought. Four chapters in already, how about that? I realize that the pace might be a bit slower than Mega Man 7 but that's the nature of origin stories. I also think just having Mega Man be all about action would be missing something important. There is a real heart to these characters and I enjoy exploring that.**

* * *

><p>Rock was enjoying how well the festivities were going. The Robot Masters had now taken up certain station dedicated to them and were displaying their powers. He giggled to see how Elec Man was gathering a lot of attention from the ladies and how he didn't seem to mind. He didn't really understand human love yet but he compared to some of the squealing girls he's seen on TV when they see a good looking guy. He also wondered what Dr. Light would think of this behavior in Elec Man.<p>

"Hey Fire Man, are you having fun?" He grinned broadly at the sight of the robot kneeling down for children to roast marshmallows in his "hair." He looked annoyed but was taking it like a good sport.

"Eh, it could have been worse. They could be trying to put me out" He turned sharply to one particularly naughty looking little boy and said "Don't even think about it!"

Rock laughed and continued walking through the Expo Center. He glanced up at a sky light and noticed that night had fallen. "Wow, how time flies. Maybe a bit of quiet stargazing would be nice after these crowds."

And so he began to make his way past the spot where Guts Man was bench pressing a car and found a path corridor leading towards an obscure back garden. Upon reaching his destination, he was glad to detect no human presence. He began to stroll among the fountains and brightly colored flowers. He stared up at the moon and stars with a feeling of extreme content. The night was going very well and the people were accepting the Robot Masters. They were also learning to accept himself and his sister. He let a faint smile appear on his face.

"Quite a night, isn't it Rock?" Rock turned in surprise and saw the same old man who questioned Dr. Light sitting in a shadowy corner of the garden. He leaned forward and gave a tired smile "I'm sorry to frighten you. I just couldn't resist greeting such a fantastic robotic boy."

"Thank you very much sir. I hope I'm not disturbing you too much."

"You're no disturbance to me. Tell me, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh yes. I'm so happy for Dr. Light and his Robot Masters."

"Yes…his Robot Masters…"

"May I ask…what made you ask that question in there?"

"Oh, it was just the random thoughts of an old man. Let's just say I know what it's like to be treated unfairly so I wanted to make sure no one was left out."

"That does make sense, I suppose. Sir, do you know why the people reacted so strongly to the mention of Dr. Wily? What has he done that's so wrong?"

The old man shifted thoughtfully in his seat so that the moonlight reflecting off of his glasses completely obscured his eyes. "Your father can't answer that?"

"We have discussed that Dr. Wily has released some odd ideas that might make certain people uncomfortable but that's not a crime. Why does it have to be hate? Why can't it simply be constructive criticism?"

"I imagine that you might not yet know this, Rock, but the world can be a very cruel place. People like having clearly defined good guys and bad guys. The media, both official and social, helped make Dr. Wily into a bad guy and thus they can't deal with the idea that he and Dr. Light, a clear good guy, have worked together in any capacity. Even those men and women in suits didn't want their project tarnished. Yes Dr. Light designed the Robot Masters but they have stock holders to impress and other such nonsense." He turned his head to look directly at Rock and went on "Some people look at you and see a monster. I don't. I see the dawn of a new era where robots can wear bow ties" Rock subconsciously straightened his tie at these words "and go shopping and play and be members of the family. I applaud Dr. Light's courage and wisdom in calling you his son even though you are made of metal instead of flesh. Rock, remember that you are no monster. Humans, including me at times, can be more frightening monsters than any robot."

"I…I…thank you for your kind words to me sir. I'm afraid I don't understand everything you said but I will think about them. I promise."

"Thank you. Now I think I've rambled enough. It's time for this old man to get home and do some thinking of his own." He stood and extended his hand. Rock shook it and the man said "I have a feeling we may meet again one day."

"That could be very nice."

"Indeed. Goodnight Rock"

"Goodnight…I'm afraid I never caught your name."

"Oh, it's quite a common name, coincidentally evidenced by our conversation. It's Albert." And with that he left the garden and Rock was left mull over his strange, cynical words.

* * *

><p><strong>New note: I'm sorry that I seem to have suddenly dropped off; I've been dealing with some stuff here at school as well as some personal stuff but I plan to start the next chapter today. Also, I realized that I somehow left a paragraph off when I uploaded this chapter. That has been corrected.<strong>

**To Guest: I appreciate the interest in the story, I honestly do, but I prefer suggestions rather than commands. Like I've said before, it is ultimately my story and I don't really like being told what to do. Now on a more pleasant note, I do have some ideas/surprises planned for this story (somewhat borrowed from what I've read of the Archie Comics but with my own twists) including robots who might not have shown up yet. **


	5. Glitches

**Here it is at last, Faithful Readers. In my defense, I have been very busy with school and I'm not out of the woods yet. All the same, this was a fun chapter to write and I think I like where this story is going.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Glitches<p>

"Be careful over there" Guts Man was shouting "You silly Mets almost dropped that beam!"

Rock laughed softly as the little hard hat robots began frantically bowing in acknowledgement and frantically correcting the procedure. He was here alongside Dr. Light to observe Guts Man as foreman of his first major construction project. Over the past two weeks, all of the Robot Masters had been eased into jobs all over the city and Dr. Light was making his rounds and checking on them. Guts Man was getting on swimmingly as were the others.

"I must say this is going very well" Dr. Light said "True, Cut Man is possibly a little too enthusiastic about cutting firewood but all in all no problems."

"Except for your little stunt at the Expo" Rock and Dr. Light turned to face the construction CEO who had helped develop Guts Man "We did not need the bad publicity you have generated by mentioning Dr. Wily."

"I understand the situation, Mr. Todd, but my conscience simply wouldn't let me hide the truth like that."

"Well…" Mr. Todd didn't look convinced but he also didn't want to make a public scene "Things do seem to be quieting down on that front but just try to keep your conscience quiet in the future."

"I will do my best to always to maintain peace."

"All right Doctor. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business elsewhere. Good day."

As Mr. Todd walked away, Guts Man subtly turned and gave the man a fierce glare as he bent a steel bar in his hands.

Back at Light Labs, Roll was merrily going about her chores while the TV played news reports in the background. She was listening to the stories about the Robot Masters while tidying up Dr. Light's bedroom. She was slowly coming to terms with the concept of creative chaos she simply couldn't stand seeing any room in that state. She had actually screamed when she peeked under the bed and was now pulling hordes of boxes so that she could vacuum.

Her attention was drawn from the archeological excavation to the TV screen. It showed Rock and Ice Mann at an arctic exhibit at a local theme park. The announcer was saying how Ice Man was going to demonstrate how precise his abilities are.

"And Rock has graciously agreed to be my assistant" Ice Man said as attention shifted to him "Here he is standing on the edge of the water tank displaying his confidence by not even taking of his rather nice coat."

"Yeah…mostly confident."

"Isn't he funny? And now…begin!"

Rock ran forward and leapt onto the water. Ice Man blasted a perfectly balanced ice platform into existence right beneath him. "Instant rescue for someone who is falling into icy water" he announced "And now just for fun…" Rock began to run across the surface of the water with Ice Man maintaining a path beneath him. He wasn't even wearing spiked shoes; the Robot Master even had a degree of control over how slippery the surface was. Finally Rock did a summersault out of the tank and landed right next to Ice Man…and instantly slipped on a very icy patch that hadn't been there before.

"Oops, sorry about that" Ice Man joked

"I'm fine" he said climbing carefully to his feet

Ice Man turned to face the thunderously applauding audience and struck a slightly flamboyant pose. As his hand flew into the air, a stream of freezing mist shot from them and hit the suit wearing woman right next to Dr. Light. She was unharmed but rather disgruntled and cold.

"I think I made an oopsie" Ice Man joked and the audience roared. Only Rock and Dr. Light looked at him suspiciously.

Back at Light Labs, Roll shook her head and returned to her work. She reached deep under the bed and pulled out the final box. She was going to simply shove it to the side like the rest but her eyes fell on a picture of Dr. Light in a tuxedo. The other half of the framed photo was covered by a book and Roll removed this with a gasp. Dr. Light was arm in arm a stunningly beautiful Asian woman. Her eyes sparkled behind large framed glasses and her dark hair (so shiny it was almost purple) was arranged elegantly on her head. However, the thing that drew Roll's eyes the most was what the woman was wearing: it was a wedding dress.

Elec Man was doing his rounds at the city power plant. He'd already met up with Dr. Light and given a stellar presentation of his abilities. He had also displayed his impeccable manners to the haughty owner of the plant. He smirked as he remembered the owner's remark about Elec Man not displaying the minor glitches of some of the others.

"I wouldn't say glitches" Dr. Light had responded "Just a few innocent mistakes here and there."

"You call setting Mr. Tomoki's hat on fire an innocent mistake?"

"I'll look into it, sir, but I'm sure it's nothing."

Still smiling over this memory, Elec Man began to chuckle. "Glitches eh? Well I've got a whopper of a glitch for them."

He carefully positioned himself in front of a main generator and held his hands dramatically in front of him. "Now let me see…yes I think I like that one, it's simple yet dramatic…Thunder Beam!"


	6. Robot Rampage

**Hello again, Faithful Readers. Things are starting to heat up now. And the semester is over so, except for studying for finals, I have much more time to focus on this. Hopefully I will use it. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Robot Rampage<p>

It was chaos! Everywhere the people turned; there was some sign of destructive robot influence. Minor buildings collapsed, trees either burned or fell into the streets, pipes froze, and explosions lit up the evening sky. Doctor's scrambled to turn on the emergency systems and save patients in ICU or surgery. Policemen were working hard to halt any forming panicked riots. What had been moments before been a peaceful, prosperous city was quickly becoming similar to a war zone.

Rock and Dr. Light were trying to get home through the traffic jam but their car was making very slow progress. While the chauffer tried to keep his passengers alive, Dr. Light himself was having the worst conference call of his life. The screen in front of him was full of angry faces.

"Now, now ladies and gentlemen I'm sure that these issues can be worked out…"

"Worked out?!"

"My warehouses are on fire!"

"You're robots are monsters."

"They should all be destroyed."

"SHUT UP!" Rock yelled into the screen "Those are my, er, brethren you're talking about."

"Thomas will you tell your toy to be quiet?"

"TOY?! Why you puffed up, arrogant, b…"

"Rock! That is enough; please don't finish that word! We're all stressed today and saying things we don't mean although I will ask you kind people to be more respectful to my son." There was much muttering and rolling of eyes at this request but Dr. Light kept on talking "I promise, I will do whatever is necessary to get to the bottom of these developments. I would like to point out, that we have received no reports of deaths and serious injuries thus far are surprisingly minimal."

"Key word being "thus far"…Thomas this is a complete disaster and the people will go after you first."

Me? Well, sadly I can see that, yes. Are we almost there?" he asked the driver

"Not really sir, traffic is horrible. These people will do more damage to themselves than the robots will at this rate."

"Well we need to get home and see what's going on" Rock opened his door and stepped out into the street "Let's get going Dr. Light"

"What? Well…ok."

Leaving a confused driver behind, the pair began to run through maze of cars. The people were indeed in a panicked frenzy and Rock several times had to bodily shield Dr. Light from sprinting citizens. They bounced off of the little robot with little to no notice but it was a very frightening situation. There was on instance where a car came careening out of nowhere while Rock was still in the road and he had to somersault through the air in order to avoid it.

"I didn't know I could do that" Rock commented in amazement "I'm like an action hero!"

"Let's just get focus on getting home, Wolverine."

"You get comic book references?"

"Do I need to program more focus and less ADHD…not to mention rudeness? Let's keep going."

The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful and soon Dr. Light and Rock were being let into the labs by Roll.

"Thank goodness you two are alright" she said hugging Rock "Dr. Light what's…"

"I'm trying to figure that out" the scientist was already sitting at a bank of computers and typing like mad "Oh boy…I haven't run like that in years. I've got to focus though."

The data from all the Robot Masters was coming up on the various screens. "They've…they've been hacked! The programming has been changed but whoever did it is a stone cold genius. I can't even begin to alter this…control has been totally stolen from me."

Rock asked "Can you at least find the source."

"No"

Before anymore could be said the screens all flickered and were suddenly filled with an image of the six Robot Masters. Elec Man was standing in front of the others and was addressing the viewers "Greetings humans. I'm sure you've seen the display of our powers by now. I'm sure you've become aware of how futile it would be to fight. We don't necessarily want to hurt anybody but it won't bother us one bit if we do. Our demands are simple…we want the mayor and the other city fathers to surrender the city to us. If you do, then our…client…will leave your pathetic little lives alone. You have 24 hours to decide."

The screen went blank and the Light family sat in shock. Roll broke the silence by saying "He didn't say what exactly would happen if the city officials didn't submit."

"He didn't have to" Dr. Light answered "The Robot Masters are very powerful…they could level this city if they chose. And nobody can stop them."

He slumped in his chair and buried his face in his hands. A full minute ticked by before Rock said "Yes somebody can…we can."

"What?" his father and sister both cried

"Who understands those robots better than you, Dr. Light? If anyone can come up with countermeasures to against them it's you. And…and I'll carry out those counter measures."

"Rock what are you saying?" Roll asked "This is crazy"

"It's utter madness" Dr. Light said

"But it's the best chance we've got, isn't it?"

"Yeeeessss…I suppose it is" Dr. Light answered with great reluctance "But you're not a warrior. To go up against those beasts…"

"Then upgrade me. Use the experimental military plans I came across in your files. Don't give me that look. Let's take responsibility and meet this threat head on."

Dr. Light and Roll looked at each other before the former answered "Ok. I must be insane but ok. Let's get to work."


	7. Cutting Edge Robotics

**And it begins! We're now into the game proper and I'm rather excited about it. I hope you are as well.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Cutting Edge Robotics<p>

"Ah this is going to be fun" Cut Man grinned

"You're just like a kid" Gut's Man commented "Then again, I guess it will be nice to teach that idiotic mayor a lesson."

"Still…starting at an empty construction site? Where's the mayhem in that?"

"This was going to be an overly trendy strip mall."

"Oh…in that case, I can't wait to hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth."

"I'm afraid it might be yours" a new voice added

Both Robot Masters turned to see Rock now standing there…only it didn't look like Rock. He was dressed in light blue spandex with thick and/or armored segments of darker blue in strategic places. His head was encased in a though, blue helmet and both his eyes and body language conveyed a cool, steely determination. At least that was his intent…in actuality he looked like a comic book cover wannabe. Guts Man and Cut Man burst into peals of laughter and Rock's face fell.

"Oh that is rich" Guts Man giggled "Is the big bad lab boy going to teach us a lesson?"

"I've been through some serious upgrades."

"So I suppose you think you're a cut above the rest now, eh?" Both Rock and Guts Man gave him stony glares and Cut Man crossed his arms indignity "Ah, you guys wouldn't know a good joke if it bit you on the CPU."

"Look guys, in all seriousness, I don't really want to hurt you. Why are you doing this?"

"Um…because we're robot and have been reprogrammed to do this, duh" Cut Man answered

Guts Man added "Not to mention how much fun it is"

"I have been equipped to force you guys to stop this mayhem but I really don't…"

"I think he's challenging us to a fight, Cut Man" Guts Man interrupted

"Oh yes, Rock wants to take a slice out of us"

"Stop it with the puns you scissor headed idiot!"

"Such hurtful words…I'm going to direct all that anger at Rock."

The blue clad robot sighed and said "Oh well, you asked for it. Just remember that Rock beats Scissors!"

He dodged a blade as Cut Man yelled "Rolling Cutter" and rolled right between Guts Man's charging legs. While this was all happening, his left hand retracted and changed shape until he had what appeared to be a large blue muffler on the end of his arm. He rolled into a crouch and fired a ball of hot plasma right at Guts Man's back.

"Argh" he grunted as the energy made contact and sent a system jarring jolt through his body "Okay, that's new."

"Yep, new powers and whole new plans from Dr. Light expertly designed to take you down."

"Jump, shoot, and dodge?"

"Well…mostly…we didn't have a lot of time to prepare."

"Oh but I'm all prepared" He lifted an entire truck and hurled it at Rock who only barely dodged.

"Hey, mind if I cut in?" A series of cutters arched through the air which Rock leapt over causing the blades to scratch Guts Man

"Hey! Look what you almost did!"

"Oh cut it out…"

"You cut…I mean you stop it with the lame puns!"

"My puns aren't lame. You're lame."

Rock asked "May I put in my two cents? I think your bickering is a great opportunity for me to show off my new trick." Both Robot Masters turned to see Rock with a hand touching the blades on Cut Man's head. Said hand began to glow and Cut Man's eyes got really big.

"Whoa, that feels weird. What did you do?"

"It's called a copy chip. Dr. Light invented it and it can do this." A scissor like blade sprouted from Rock's arm cannon "Now will you guys calm down and listen…I honestly don't want to…"

"Just die you little bug" Guts Man shouted and Rock was sent flying by a killer right hook. The cutter at the end of his arm was accidentally fired and flew right into the construction robot's still open mouth. A stream of sparks and a plume of smoke poured from between his lips and his eyes grew as wide as saucers. "NNNGGG…ig hurths!"

"Oh no, Guts Man! There are some majorly important circuits in there, what can I do?" Cut Man cried in shock

"Murger hib!" With a series of tremors in his wake, the injured robot ran from the battle field

"I really didn't mean to do that" Rock said as he climbed to his feet

"Oh but I mean this! Rolling Cutter Barrage!"

Rock only had time to cover his face and hope his new armored clothes would hold up. The weaker portions of his suit developed major holes and rips but he wasn't that badly damaged overall. However, the projectiles just kept coming. Rock knew that Cut Man would run out of energy eventually but he wasn't sure he could hold together that long.

"Dr. Light said that Cut Man's design isn't as sturdy as some of the others…man why didn't I copy Guts Man as well?" he muttered in frantic thought

"What's the matter? New moves can't cut it? You think you're a super hero but you're just a mega loser."

"Cut it? Cut it!" Rock's eyes landed on a crane holding a small bundle of steel girders in the air. He felt an idea forming but he needed to get Cut Man into position.

"Rolling Cutter" Rock's hurled itself at Cut Man's head and he had to halt his own assault in order to dodge it.

"Hey, that's not nearly as cool when it's happening to me!"

"I bet that just cuts you to the core."

"Hey, puns are my thing."

"Well yours weren't cutting it."

"Argh…come here you!"

Rock gracefully leapt aside as Cut Man attempted to tackle him "Well that was sad. I guess you just aren't cut out for fighting after all. You'll think slice before trying that again."

"I'm going to make paper dolls out of you, mega loser."

"Another lame pun combined with a repeat insult…that's just sad."

Cut Man lost it and ran at Rock with an animal like rage. He smoothly stepped to the side and stuck his foot out. Cut Man went sprawling into exactly the right spot. A well aimed Rolling Cutter released the metal beams which fell directly onto the red Robot Master. Cut Man was battered and beaten out of shape and quickly shut down completely. Rock stood over him very sadly, only vaguely comforted by the fact that he did what he had to and that Dr. Light was going to fix him right up.

"Although if this is who I am now then maybe an appropriate name would be nice…you kept calling me mega loser. Not the most creative but…from now on I'm Mega Man."


	8. Living La Vida Robo

**Here it is, Faithful Readers. Actually I'm pretty honored that you are faithful to a flaky author like me. Thank you very much :)**

**I had fun writing this chapter and I hope that you will have fun reading it. Just as a note, I'm mixing and matching Robot Master weaknesses from the original version and Powered Up. This means that the fight order might be a little unexpected in places but we'll just see how it goes.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Living La Vida Robo<p>

"Well, Mega Man, how are the repairs holding up?"

"Just fine, Dr. Light" he answered into the radio in his helmet as we walked around the roof top of a tall building "You did a great job of patching me up after the Cut Man incident."

"I'm surprised there haven't been many other incidents of its kind" Dr. Light responded thoughtfully "I suppose the Robot Masters have heard of your battle and are…preparing for you."

"I don't care as long as it keeps the people safe"

"Don't be too optimistic, Rock. This could be the calm before the storm and in fact the Robot Masters are more dangerous than before."

He sighed in resignation and agreement "You're probably right. I'll get back to patrolling…what is that!?"

Mega Man was staring at a sudden fireworks display. Against the twilit sky the colorful explosions were especially vibrant. The most interesting thing is that the blasts were beginning to form words: "Come and join the party, Mega Loser!"

"Dr. Light, I have just been invited to a party and I'm fairly sure that Bomb Man is the host."

"Be careful, Mega Man! Remember that Rolling Cutter should help you but you must also use your head."

"Roger. I'm on my way."

He began running towards the edge of the roof top. His plan was to leap between the various roofs of the closest buildings and thus make a direct beeline for the source of the rockets. However, his first jump was intercepted by a small device leaping up between the buildings. It exploded as it hit Mega Man mid jump and he went tumbling towards the next roof. Unfortunately the attack wasn't over; the device has jettisoned two parts that fell in sweeping arcs both in front and behind the original. One arc ended right next to the blue warrior and it exploded as it hit the ground near him.

"Yowza! Dr. Light was right when he said they had prepared for me. I'll have to watch out for more of those."

His concerns were well founded as his next several rooftop leaps were spent dodging the effects of more leaping bombs. Suddenly an idea struck him; he crept to the edge of the next rooftop and made a very calculated and cautious jump with his arms sticking out as far as possible. The bomb was tricked and leapt into the air without him being there and he was able to destroy it with a buster shot.

"Using my head can be a good thing" he smiled to himself as he continued his journey…only to be hit in the back by something fast, heavy, and very explosive. He was sent sprawling clear across the next roof and tumbled noisily to the ground. People began to look from windows, doors, and sidewalks at the slightly battered blue boy in the street.

"Look at him"

"Who is he?"

"Should we call an ambulance?"

"I already am"

"No, look! There's no blood."

"Wait…I think that's Dr. Light's robot kid."

Mega Man's eyes twitched open and the people began to crowd in even closer. His eyes flew open to their fullest extent and he thrust his buster in the air. "Get back, all of you!"

The crowds retreated with fear and confusion but the blast went right past them and hit the grinning missile that had been aiming at him. It exploded in mid air and the people scurried to escape the shrapnel. "Stay away from me, those things seem to have my sent!"

As he said it, a small flock of them curved into sight and Mega Man took off running without another word. His plan was to stick to the middle of the street where there would theoretically be the least amount of targets. However, the street was filled with cars and Mega Man found himself once again roof hopping. It struck him as ironic and just slightly comical that normally he'd hate to be denting car roofs like this.

He was also struck with a crazy idea. He landed on a truck moving swiftly in the right direction and turned around. He fired a Rolling Cutter into the air and the missiles actually pointed their evil faces after it and gave chase. Once they were in the air, Mega Man switched back to his regular buster and picked them off in rapid succession. Praying that the shrapnel would be minimal in its damage, he turned to pay attention to the trucks journey. He was happy to see that they were approaching the source of the fireworks: the city's new sports stadium.

Mega Man somersaulted from the truck roof to the sidewalk outside of the stadium. He rushed through the open doors and noticed a path had been marked for him littered with floating orbs. These were actually shells that would momentarily split and shoot energy pellets in all directions when Mega Man came near. These were annoying but not particularly difficult to deal with.

"Although, I'd hate to be climbing a ladder or something like that right about now" he joked to himself

Mega Man found himself emerging into the stadium proper; it was set up for soccer matches but he actually found himself in was seemed to be a makeshift bowling lane. Bomb Man was lounging at the other end with sun glasses on and cool music playing.

"Glad you could join the party. I was so hoping you'd receive my invitation in a timely manner."

"Your invitation was a little destructive, wouldn't you say?"

"That's what makes it fun" Bomb Man stood up and mockingly stretched out before saying "Now be a pal and hold that pose" A bomb formed in his hand and he sent it flying down the path between the odd barriers forming the lane. When Mega Man had to leap out of the way, landing on his belly as the bomb exploded, the Robot Master said "Hyper Bomb Strike!"

"Bomb Man we don't have to do this. Please listen to me."

"Not after what you did to Cut Man. I'll admit he's ultra annoying but he was a teammate, darn it! Hyper Bomb Parade!"

Mega Man screamed in panic as no less than three bombs came rolling towards him at high speed. He rolled to the side and hit one of the lane barriers which exploded upon contact. This blast, combined with the other three, sent him flying through the air and leaving a trail of smoke. He landed with a loud crash on the other side of Bomb Man, who was laughing and applauding.

"Now that is what I call fire works!"

Mega Man staggered to his feet, hampered by the many dents in his armored body, but had to move quickly as more bombs came arcing through the air. He rolled out of range and landed in a combat crouch. A series of plasma shots his Bomb Man in the chest and the party loving robot was knocked onto his backside.

"Owie! It seems my little bash is accurately named." He leapt to his feet and launched a bomb as if it were a volley ball "Hyper Bomb Service"

Mega Man shot the projectile and it exploded in midair. "This is not a game. You put innocent people in real danger today just to have a fight with me. I don't want to do this but I'm having a hard time forgetting that fact."

"Aw shut up! Hyper Bomb Fastball!" The deadly object sailed right towards Mega Man's head and he was unsuccessful in dodging it. Bomb Man was so busy laughing at his enemy's pain and humiliation that he didn't notice something silver flashing through the air towards him. "I don't think you can take much more of this. I am a little disappointed that the party will end so quickly but this has been fun."

Mega Man struggled to his hands and knees and chuckled "My last attack hit after all it seems. A little gift from Cut Man" Bomb Man looked down and was horrified to see a major gash in his chest, right in the spot that had already been slightly weakened by Mega Man's earlier shots.

"That's not cool."

"No" Mega Man said as he raised his buster and took aim "it isn't" The shot ripped right through Bomb Man who fell over, completely inactive. Mega Man staggered to his feet and shook his head.

"Why so sad?" a new yet familiar voice called out "Aren't you glad you won?"

Mega Man had been joined by a large, odd machine encased in a bubble. Projected onto the bubble from the inside was the large hologram of a face he recognized from the Robot Master unveiling. It was the face of the old man called Albert.


	9. Dr Wily's Boast

**How's that for improves speed? I don't know if this exact pace will keep up but I am making an effort. I know it's a bit of a short chapter but I feel it's an important one. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Dr. Wily's Boast<p>

"Albert? What's going on…and why do you look like the Wizard of Oz?"

The face in the bubble laughed and said "I suppose I can allow that little joke. I am an old man who has been in hiding for a bit but I'm no humbug. I am very, very real."

Mega Man steadied himself on his feet and asked "Real? What do you mean?"

"Bomb Man must have really messed up your brains. I'm here to take credit for my little Robot Master uprising. It wasn't very hard to hack their systems and reprogram them."

Mega Man wobbled on his feet and fell flat on his butt "No…but why would you do that?"

"Why would I? Oh I see, I forgot to fully introduce myself. My name is Dr. Albert Wily. I'm so pleased to meet you Mega Man." The head in the bubble actually seemed to bow a bit but Mega Man gave no such gesture in return.

"Wily? Dr. Wily? The mad scientist everyone is talking about? The one that…you asked about at the…oh my gosh!"

"Oh yes. I was there that night when my work and influences on the Robot Masters was almost completely stolen from me. Your father saved himself from my retribution when he was the only one mature enough to give me at least a little credit."

"Retribution; is that why the other executives were attacked by the robots in those accidents? Those were little more than pranks."

"Why waste more energy than that on such losers. I'm angry, yes, but they are simply beneath my notice. Besides, have you not been paying attention to the news, stock markets, or any of it? Their companies are in serious trouble these days. I suppose Dr. Light will be feeling the pinch too but I can't do much about that."

"You could stop this. You're tearing this city apart and for what, a little credit? Grow up Doctor."

The surprisingly solid bubble swung through the air and knocked Mega Man over onto his side "What would you know about it? What have you endured? Have you lost your credit in the scientific community over a few minor incidents? Have you been shunned by your absurdly fickle family? Have you lost…" Dr. Wily caught himself there and took a deep breath "Sorry about that. On second thought, perhaps Thomas does deserve a little punishment after all. Go home, Mega Man. Get Dr. Light to fix you up because my Robots are waiting and they all want a piece of you. I could kill you right now but that wouldn't be very sporting. I promise you, we will meet again."

The face hologram vanished and the bubble machine flew away. Mega Man flipped over and crawled to where Bomb Man lay. He was relieved to find that he could still absorb Hyper Bomb and then he radioed Dr. Light for transport.

"I can't believe it" Dr. Light was saying as he repaired Mega Man "I knew Albert was eccentric but this…I never saw anything like this coming."

"He'd better think twice about what he's doing to my brother or I'm going to go beat him up myself" Roll exclaimed as she handed her father a wrench.

Dr. Light received it gratefully and returned to work. Rock was lying on a lab table and stripped of all armor and clothing so that repairs could be made. Dr. Light still found it amusing that a robot wanted a modesty cloth draped over his middle simply because his sister was in the room. However, this was not the time to bring anything like that up again "I'm trying to make these repairs sturdier than the last one. I'm also developing a few items that might help you out but progress is understandably slow."

Rock glanced over to where Cut Man and Bomb Man lay in states of half repair and he nodded. "Dr. Light, Dr. Wily mentioned losing something and he said that you deserved to be punished. Do you know what he was talking about?"

Dr. Light took a deep steadying breath and wiped some sweat from his brow "I suppose I should tell…" His sentence was cut off by a sudden sound from the TV "Volume raise" The computerized speakers obeyed the verbal command Dr. Wily's voice filled the room. He was sitting in a darkened room but there was enough illumination to identify the speaker.

"Hello there, fellow citizens! Do not adjust your sets but please feel free to adjust your brains. Ahem…sorry for the little joke. I almost got off track. Anyway, my name is Dr. Albert Wily and I'm the man who will soon be your mayor. My friends are already preparing my well laid plans and there's really nothing you can do to stop me. You don't know when and you don't know how but soon enough I will have everything I want."

"You're wrong" Mega Man shouted at the screen "I'll stop you."

"And to the one now called Mega Man, you're perfectly free to try to stop me. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. My remaining Robot Masters are looking forward to it as well. It's really quite funny but they've all drawn lots and have decided the in order in which they will fight you. Rock, Paper, Scissors was suggested but poor Fire Man wouldn't have had a chance. You can expect your first invitation to a battle very soon. I don't know what he's planning to do but he does believe in serving vengeance cold. Bye bye for now!" He gave a friendly smile and wave and the screen returned the show that had been on before.

"Oh dear" Dr. Light sighed "He truly is serious about this. Roll, bring me that circuit welder, we need your brother fighting fit five minutes ago."


	10. Ice to Meet You

**I'm sorry this one took longer than expected. I had a very weird case of writers block and finally had to simply draw a rough map of the area and chart out the action. Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter ten.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: "Ice" to Meet You<p>

The people backed away as Mega Man walked down the road. They were very afraid of Dr. Wily's announcement but didn't know what to make of this little blue robot. They knew what he had done to the first two Robot Masters but many still refused to fully trust him. Mega Man himself wasn't sure how to take their reactions. He tried to simply put it out of his head and focus on the mission at hand but he was distracted when a small boy ran forward with his twin sister walking somewhat reluctantly behind him.

"You're Mega Man, aren't you?" the grinning boy asked

"Um…yes."

"You're so cool! I heard about what you did to those bad robots. Are you going to save us from Dr. Wily?"

Mega Man knelt down and looked the boy in the face "My name is Rock, what's yours?"

"I'm Ron and this is my sister, Kimmy."

"Well Ron and Kimmy, I'm going to do my best to keep this city safe for awesome kids like you. In fact I'm on my way to deal with another bad robot now and I'll win it to keep you guys safe. That's a promise."

Both kids grinned really wide but suddenly were jerked backwards by their frantic looking mother. "You stay away from my children, you…you…machine!"

She scooped the twins up, gave Mega Man one last look of horror, and then ran off. Mega Man was stunned to the core and barely heard it when Ron shouted "Good luck, Rock!" He knelt there in shock for a few seconds more before standing up and marching resolutely forward. He ignored the rest of the crowd altogether and had no idea if they cheered or booed him. In short order, he had reached his destination: the Summertime Oasis, a fully functional indoor water park.

Mega Man passed through the entrance hall and was shocked at what he saw. The Oasis was encased in a massive, climate controlled glass dome and was supposed to simulate a beach environment with an additional lazy river and water slide tower. It was now lightly snowing and the massive pool was completely frozen with only a few scattered islands poking out here and there. The holographic windows of the dome, normally showing peacefully and sunny scenes, now showed an arctic wasteland. The stairs and slides connected to the tower had been completely destroyed and yet Ice Man was sitting on the edge and waving.

"Hi Mega Man. Are you ready to play? Here's the game: part one is you trying to reach me and part two is you trying to defeat me. And since I'm such a generous guy I'm going to share this with the whole city." He pointed gleefully at the computerized bubble floating up in the rafters and broadcasting the whole thing "Smile Mega Man, you're on Arctic Camera." He laughed so hard that he almost fell off of the tower. "Oops. Anyway, let the games begin!"

Before Mega Man could react to anything he had just been told, he felt the frosty sand beneath his feet rumbling and saw robots crawling out of it. Some were flat and round with a pair of spikes on top and the others were green and vaguely human in shape. The flat things began to spin through the sand with intent to converge on his feet. Mega Man fired at the one in front of him but the plasma bolt simply bounced off. Mega Man was shocked and reacted slowly; his feet and lower ankles were horribly battered and he was thrown onto his backside. He rolled desperately through the sand and crashed into a fake palm tree which dumped a load of snow on him.

Ice Man was in hysterics "This is simply too hilarious. Are you guys in TV Land getting this? You're great hero was tenderized and is now being served a la mode! I hope all you lady robots are paying attention to the great Ice Man. Oh wait, I suppose there's only one. Hey, Mega Butt, when you're dead I'm going to totally date your sister. Is that okay?"

Mega Man burst through the snow and blasted a green robot out of his way as he ran towards the tower "You leave Roll alone, you…"

"Careful of your language, we are on TV after all. Of course, you're too squeaky clean to swear, aren't you Mr. Goody Two Circuits?"

Mega Man didn't respond but just plowed forward…for about two seconds before he hit the ice and slid out of control. He crashed into one of the diving islands and attempted to struggle to his feet. However, his assailants were still on his tail with plasma shots and spikes alike. He stood, with some slight difficulty, on the island and tossed a Hyper Bomb. It seemed like the explosion had stopped the mechanized menaces but Ice Man laughed as the smoke cleared. The spiked discs had only been momentarily stunned and now they continued spinning towards him. As for the green robots, only their legs and lower bodies were destroyed. He now had three torsos and heads flying on helicopter blades towards him.

"Oh come on. Ice Man, where on earth did you dig these things up?"

"Just some security designs that Dr. Wily had been working on. I must say it's very entertaining to see you dodging them like that."

"Your turn is coming Frosty!"

"Oh how violent! Is this your great hero, ladies and gentlemen?" The bubble floated a little lower to get a clear shot of Mega Man sliding his way to another island. He made it and let out a storm of Rolling Cutters. The discs were finally stopped and the flying torsos were flying around in confusion. Two of them smashed into each other and exploded and Mega Man took out the finally one easily. "Oh poop, it's over. However, I'm still up here and you're down there."

Mega Man was scanning the area frantically and finally noticed something interesting: the entrance to the lazy river was frozen and the river itself was mostly empty. As fortune would have it the path of the river passed directly under the tower and any more discs would have a hard time getting down there from up here.

"I'll find my way up there soon and then round two can begin." He made a wobbly running leap and landed in the river. The bottom was frozen but he could still move. "This is more like…oh come on!"

Ice Man laughed as a little penguin with a helicopter nose came soaring right at him. He dodged it but right as it was turning around, another penguin appeared flying from the front. Mega Man waited until the last second and then dropped to his belly. The two projectiles collided above him and exploded.

"And I bet there are more penguins com…hey that gives me an idea." While still on his belly, Mega Man fired a plasma shot behind him and was propelled forward on his stomach. He took a curve very carefully and kept right on going beneath the other cute but dangerous missiles. When he was under the tower, he fired another shot straight down and was launched into the air. He grabbed the side of the river and pulled himself to his feet outside of it.

Ice Man's face had fallen "Hey, this is supposed to be my show; stop showing off so much. Oh well, you still have the vanishing blocks to face."

Mega man stared in horror at a series of floating blocks that more or less formed a nice path up to the platform. The scary part was that, somehow or other, they kept vanishing and reappearing in a seemingly random sequence. "How on earth is that even possible?"

"Yes, let me tell you and your genius father one of Dr. Wily's greatest achievements and how it works, I think not! Oh…oh…what's this?" He was listening to a report on an internal radio and his face was half amused and half annoyed "We have visitors coming. The swat team, the police, and anyone else they could find is gathering right outside of the dome and that's breaking the rules. That means that Fire Man and the back in action Guts Man get to play."

Mega Man was frozen in absolute horror. He knew that those robots could massacre those foolish humans but he also knew that if he abandoned the "game" to help, it truly would become a massacre just to punish him. He also knew that every second spent doing nothing was another second lost to make a decision but he couldn't get his brain in gear.


End file.
